IPL 2024: Gautam Gambhir praises the “phenomenal character” of RCB following their close loss to KKR

In an exciting IPL 2024 match at Eden Gardens on April 21, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by a thrilling one run. KKR maintained composure to protect 222 despite RCB’s outstanding chase attempt.

Even after RCB’s devastating defeat, Gautam Gambhir, the current coach of KKR, was quick to praise the opponent’s remarkable character and battling spirit. He complimented the guests’ work on his X handle. His message said, “RCB demonstrated incredible character today.”

Phenomenal display of character by RCB today!

— Gautam Gambhir (Modi Ka Parivar) (@GautamGambhir) April 21, 2024

With a blistering 48 from 14 balls, Phil Salt of KKR set the tone for success. After being selected to bat first, captain Shreyas Iyer hung on to one end and hit 50 off 36 to compile a total of 222/6.

Will Jacks (55 off 32) and Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) steadied the ship and put up 102 runs for the third wicket to pull RCB back into the game after the team lost Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis for little money early in the run chase.

KKR defeats RCB in the final ball of play.

With a twin strike that removed Jacks and Patidar in the same over and then the dangerous Dinesh Karthik in the penultimate over, veteran Andre Russell swung the match in favour of the home team just when it appeared that RCB had the upper hand. With 19 runs needed in the last over, RCB still had a chance to win but were bowled out for 221 after painfully falling short by one run.

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Jacks and Patidar’s stunning counterattacking knocks let them turn the tables, starting at 35/2. Russell appeared to have put KKR out of the game, but Karn Sharma’s powerful punches against Mitchell Starc in the last over demonstrated RCB’s will to battle to the very finish.

RCB sits at the bottom of the points table with just two points, while the Kolkata-based team is ranked second with ten points.